Grants

Astraea funds lesbian organizations and cultural media projects that directly address the depth and complexities of lesbian and trans issues. We also support LGBTI organizations, women's organizations, and progressive organizations that have lesbians and trans people in leadership roles and include lesbian and trans issues as an integral part of their work.

Please click here for Grant Applications and Deadlines

Astraea's grantmaking is guided by our understanding of how social change and movements for social justice develop. Our theory and practice are rooted in the following beliefs:

• Social change results from the powerful collective action of groups of people working together. Organizations that are committed to addressing the intersections of various oppressions, and demonstrate commitment to social, racial, economic and gender justice, are most likely to help build transformative movements for social change.

• Art and cultural work are powerful tools for resistance and inspiration--and are necessary components in building a future guaranteeing human rights for all.

• Communities that are most affected are best positioned to identify priorities and effective strategies for change in their communities.

• The fundamental purpose of feminist social justice funding institutions--like Astraea--is to help finance the sectors of our movements that are best positioned to be engines for change in our communities, in spite of having the least access to mainstream funding resources.

• Astraea seeks to maintain accountability to our communities in part by ensuring that LGBTI activists who have a history of working within the communities we fund are involved in grantmaking decisions. The majority of Astraea's grants are determined by community funding panels--diverse groups of activists, leaders and cultural workers with expertise in specific funding areas. In addition, our International Fund is also advised by an Advisory Board of activists based the regions where we provide support.

• Astraea is often among the first--if not the first--institutional funder of cutting edge social change organizations and projects in LGBTI communities. We prioritize directing resources to those sectors of our movement that often have the least access to financial resources, including: lesbian of color organizations, groups run by/for trans and intersex activists of color, and organizations based in rural or other geographic areas where isolation and safety issues may present specific barriers to visibility and community organizing.